[iridude]

I removed 3 prong outlet and confused that I only see black and white wires coming from box. To my knowledge I am thinking box is grounded and no need for a ground wire is this correct?

Now can I run a ground wire to the box to the GFCI? Or this cant be done?

Doesn't 3 prong outlet need a ground am I correct on this?

Im confused

 

[Arrow3030]

Equipment grounding conductors aren't exclusively wire. If the box is metal and emt is the wiring method, the wire type EGC may not be required. A GFCI provides ground fault protection with the absence of an EGC. If this is the case, the receptacle should be labeled, "no equipment ground."

 

[Luke M]

Assuming the box is grounded...a wire from the box to the socket isn't necessarily required, since it will be connected via the screws, at least. Only buy sockets that are labeled "self grounding".

 

[spaceman spif]

Is it an older house? Older wiring did not have a separate bare copper wire for grounding so the box may not be grounded. That's what I ran into with my house.

 

[e60]

When you look in the box with the device out, are you able to see if a ground is coming in with the hot/neutral and is screwed to the ground terminal on the box? In my house this was often the case, it was cut off after attaching to the box, and in several situations there was some plaster in the box from when the house was built that was hiding it and I had to chip/clean it away to confirm.

If you do not see a ground wire, can you see what kind of cable was coming into the box, either by trying to see any part of the sheathing that is poking in, or looking at the type of clamp, to figure out if it was EMT or BX or something. You could use a multimeter to rule out it being grounded at all right.

 

[Oso954]

Assuming the box is grounded...a wire from the box to the socket isn't necessarily required, since it will be connected via the screws, at least. Only buy sockets that are labeled "self grounding".

IMO, bad advice on a DIY site. There are quite a few ins and outs as to when and where self grounding can be used, or other changes such as there must be bonding jumpers when using certain metal cover plates, etc.

Far better to say if the switch or receptacle has a ground screw, use it.

Even if you are technically required not to extend the ground to the device, it will not hurt things, where not having the ground wire can bite you.